Safety fender for automobiles



w. ANDN. c. HANSEN AND c; BEARB'Y. vSAFETY FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

lAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24| |921. c

1,420,036, N Patent-6.151.111@ v20, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- CharZe earb 2% Uhr' WL'M Theirrtlvmfy W. AND H. C. HANSEN AND C. BEARBY.

SAFETY FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLTCATTON FILED SEPT. 24, 1921.

n. Z e m. E@ y ,m gaf, .0H f nal.lw E! f mm n n.f J @ma n m. @f f .m .Z /nf da ,A P W ,n T. C EN# m O e W 2 n 4. ,t .8. l www w. AND H. c. HANSEN ANDC. BEARBY.

SAFETY FENDER FOR AUTOMOBIES. L

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, |921.

Patentedy June 20, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JN. www

Il /fY- i W. AND.H. C. HANSEN AND C. BEARBY.-

SAFETY FENDER FOR UTOMOBILES. APPLICATION msn SEPT. 24, 1921.

Patented Jim@ 20, 1922.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 4.

'wwuessew JMSEWM razones,

rasant antitesi.

WILLIAM HANSEN, HANs c. HANSEN, ANncHAnLns BEARBY, on CHICAGO, ILLINois.

SAFETY FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented di une 29, 1922.

Application filed September 24, 1921. Serial No. 502,903. l

To @ZZ whom may concern v Y Be it known that we, lViLLrAixr Hansen, HANs C. .HANsnm and Cin A.Las Ratner, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety .Fenders for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety fender for automobiles, and has for its object the provision of a fender disposed at the front of the automobile which is norm ally retained in folded or inoperative position but which may be either manually tripped by the' operator or automatically tripped by encountering an object so as to move to operative posi tion to cushion the impact of the machine and to pick up the object struck.

Other objects willv appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangementsof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which, Y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention showing the device in inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 7; y

Fig; 3 is a view similar to 1 showing the invention in operativeposition;

rFig. el is a top plan view of the device showing means for attaching same to the automobile g Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. L1;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the invention showing same in operative position;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3; and f Fig. 9 is an enlargedsectionaldetail view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7.

rllhe invention comprises supporting arms v1 and 2 eachhaving its inner end secured to the side frame of the automobile by any suitable means, but we preferably provide on the inner ends of said arms 1-and 2, looped brackets 3 and lthrough which are inserted hooks 5 each of said hooks having a` shank 6 extending beneath the channel bar 7 of the side frame of the automobile. Loosely mounted on the shank 6 of eachof the hooks 5 is a slotted clamping member S which engages one `side of the channel bar 7 and is held .tightly inA engagement therewith by means of a nut 9 threaded on the shank. .as many of such clamping hooks maybe provided as desired. In practice one hook for each bracket is ordinarily sufficient to properly support the arms on the frame of the automobile. f

The sets of levers attached to the arms 1 and `2 are identical in construction and operation and a description of one set of such levers will suiiice to set forth the construction of the companion set of levers, and the same reference numerals will be used to designate similar parts of both sets of levers. Pivotally mounted on the arm 1 near the inner end thereof is a bar 1() said bar being provided with a loop 11 near its outer end', and having a hook 12 mounted intermedi-ateits ends for a purpose hereinafter described.

. At the outer end of the arm 1 is pivotally mounted a swinging' lever 13, the short end of which terminates in a hook or cam portion 14C. A link 15 has one end pivoted to the short end of the lever 1.3 at the rear of the K cam portion' 111, its opposite end being slotted as at 16, and pivotally engaging a pin 17 provided on the bar 10, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A suitable spring` 18 is mounted on the arm 1 near the rear end thereof and is adapted to bear against the bar 10 when the device is in closed position, and serves to forcibly urge the bar 10 away from the arm 1 when the releasing mecha` nism is operated. i

A leaf spring 19 is mounted on the link 15, the upper endof which provides a catch 2U having a cam surface which is engaged by .a lateral projection 21 onthe hook 12fto raise the catch until same snaps over such projection thereby lockingl the levers in eX- tended position. f l

rlhe ends of the bars 10 are each bored to receive a short sleeve 22 which is yheld in position by means of aset screw cr any suitable means. The outer ends of the swinging levers 13 are likewise bored to accommodate similar short sleeves 23. Loosely mounted inthe sleeves 22, 23,` and projecting beyond same a suitable distance on each side are lengths of tubing 24;, to which canvas or other suitable material is secured by any suitable means, the canvas being slotted adjacent the sleeves which ypro,- vide bearings for tripping members mounted thereon, as hereinafter described. The canvas preferably is mounted so as to bag slightly when the device is in operative tially between its upper and lower ends when in operative position, on which the canvas can be conveniently rolled as shown in F ig. 1, suoli roll resting in the loops 11 in the bars 10 provided for the purpose7 `when the device is in inoperative position. Thus the canvas can be conveniently rolled up and carried when the device is in inoperative position and will smoothly and quickly unroll when the device assumes operative position.

Any suitable means may be employed for retaining the device in inoperative position, and for releasing said retaining means to permit the device to quickly assume operative position. We preferably employ a tripping member automatically operable on encountering an object. Loosely mounted on the sleeves 22 are triggers 26 preferably of the type shown in Fig. 9 consisting of a hook 27 adapted to engage a sleeve 23, a stop 23 adapted to abut against an arm 1() to limit the pivotal movement of the trigger on the sleeve and an extension 29 having a bore in its end. Extending through the tubing 24 carrying the lower end of the canvas is a rod 30 having threaded on its opposite ends fingers 31, each of such fingershaving ay bore in its outer end. Extending through the outer ends of the lingers 31 and the triggers2ti is a rod 32 such rod being held in position by means of set screws 33 mounted on the triggers 26. By this ariangen'ient it will be seen that when the device in closed position the hooks 27 on the triggers 26 will engage the sleeves 23 and thus hold the device in inoperative position.` 0n encountering an object a slight impact at any point along the length of the rod 32 will. disengage the hooks 27 from the sleeves 23 allowing the apparatus to quickly assume its operative position. The stops 28 on the triggers 26 will prevent undesirable movement of the rod 32. A cable (not shown) may be attached to the rod 32 in order to permit the operator of the machine to operate the triggers 2G.

The device is normally in inoperative position, having canvas or other material rolled up as described on the resilient strip 25 so as to fit nicely in the loops 11 and the hooks' 27 are engaged with the sleeves 23 as above described. The device in inoperative position resembles van ordinary bumper and is neat and attractive in appearance.` qWhen an object is struck the rod 32 projecting forwardly the greatest distance is moved backwardly and upwardly, thus ,disengaging the hooks 27 from the sleeves 23; or such hooks may be disengaged by means of a cable extending to the operators seat. With thehooks 27 disengaged, the bars 10 are forced downwardly by the springs 13 and by gravity andthe levers 13 are swung upwardly by means oi the link 15 until the catch on said link engages the lateral projection on the hook 12 which locks the joint between such levers and holds same in extended position. The canvas mounted on the ends of the bars 10 and levers 13 in open position is slack to cushion the force of impact of an object striking same and the slot 16 causes further slackening of the canvas due to the play permitted by said slot between the ends of the bars and levers.

The device is simple in construction, quick and positive in operation and can be manu- 'factured economically.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred` form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing 'from the-spirit of the invention. TvVe, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention,what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: A

1. An" automobile fender comprising hinged frames; means operatively connecting said frames and foii'ining a toggle;` and latching means on said connecting means 'ijor automatically locking said toggle in extended position.`

2.15.11 automobile fender comprising `closing said frames.

Il. An automobile fender comprising hinged framesgcushiomng means mounted on said frames;'means :for locking said frames in extended position; and means for allowing play between the extended frames.

5. An automobile 'fender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a lever pivotally mounted on said support and operable to extended position by said bar; and a slot in said lever slidably engaging the stud on said bar to permit play therebetween in extended position.

6. An automobile fender comprising hinged iframes; means for holding said frames in closed position; resilient means for opening said frames; and means operatively connecting said frames forming a seltlocking toggle.

7. An automobile fender comprising hinged trames; means for holding said `frames in closed position; resilient means for opening said iframes; a toggle operatively connecting said frames; and means :tor locking said toggle in extended position.

8. An automobile :tender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a lever pivotally mounted on said support and operable tol extended position by said bar; and a toggle connection between said lever and said bar.

9. 'An automobile 'fender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a. lever pivotally mounted on said support and operable to extended position by said bar; and connecting means beween said bar and lever to permit play therebetween in extended position.

10. An automobile 'fender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a lever pivotally mounted on said support and operable to extended position by said bar; resilient means normally urging said bar and lever to operative position; a toggle connection between said bar and said lever; and means ior permitting play between said bar and said lever in extended position.

11. An automobile fender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a lever pivotally mounted on said support; and cam means mounted on said lever for raising said bar when said lever is operated.

12. An automobile 'fender comprising a support; a bar pivotally mounted on said support; a lever pivotally mounted on said support; a toggle connection between said bar and said lever; and means mounted on said lever for raising said bar when said lever is operated.

13, In an automobile fender comprising a bar and a lever; a projection on said lever; a link connecting said bar and said lever;

and a catch engaging said projection to form a toggle.

14. In an automobile fender comprising a bar and a lever; a projection on said lever; a link connecting said bar and said lever; and a spring latch to form a toggle and lock same in position.

15. An automobile fender comprising a bar and a lever; a cam portion on said lever; a link connecting said bar and said lever; and a hook on said bar adapted to engage said cam portion to close said fender.

16. An automobile fender comprising hinged 'frames operatively connected together; triggers mounted on said frames adapted to hold same in closed position; and means -for tripping said triggers to extend said frames.

17. An automobile fender comprising hinged frames operatively connected together; triggers mounted on said 'frames adapted to hold same in closed position; and

means for automatically tripping said triggers.

18. An automobile fender comprising supports mounted on an angle bar constituting the side frame of an automobile; and hooks engaging said supports and having split clamping members for engaging said angle bar for holding said hooks in operative position.

19. An automobile fender comprising hinged frames; depressions adjacent the ends of one or" said frames; a cushion member having its opposite ends secured to said frames; and a transverse rib secured intermediate the ends of said cushion member and adapted to have same rolled thereon and deposited in said depressions.

20. An automobile fender comprising hinged frames; sleeves mounted in each of sai-d frames; a rod extending through the sleeves of each of said frames; a cushion member having its opposite ends secured to said rods, triggers pivotally mounted on the sleeves of one oi said iframes and adapted to retain same in closed relation; and a rod carried by said triggers and operable by impact thereagainst to tripl said triggers and permit said frames to assume operative position.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM HANSEN. HANS C. HANSEN. CHARLES BEARBY. Vitnesses CLARENCE E. THREEDY, JOSHUA R. H. PoTTs. 

